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6003 xT^ .^- 1 

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No. i6^. 



. rOOME MICHAELMAS! 



^ 



^ 



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% ^lap in #ue %tt 



BY 

KEBLE HOWARD 



Copyright, 1909, by Keble Howard. 



^ London 

^ SAMUEL FRENCH, Ltd 

^ 26 Southampton Street 
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COME MICHAELMAS 



a ^lap in <&nt ^tt 



BY 



KEBLE HOWARD 



/vcv^. "a 



rs-^^e, ^y^ '^jxJcMc 



CAUTION :— All persons are hereby warned that " Come Michaelmas" 
being fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States, 
is subject to royalty, and any one presenting the play without the 
consent of the author or his authorized agent, will be liable to the 
penalties by law provided. Application for stage rights must be 
made to Samuel French, 24 West 22nd Street, New York City. 



Copyright, 1909, by Keble Howard 



New York 
SAMUEL FRENCH 

PUBLISHER 

26 WEST 22D STREET 



London 

SAMUEL FRENCH, Ltd. 

26 Southampton Street, 

STRAND 



^nc^ 



^^°^ 



COME MICHAELMAS. 

Produced on Monday, April 26, 1909, at the Adelphi 
Theatre, London, with the following cast : 



John Cogbill (a Young Farmer) 
Mr. Cogbill (his Father) . . 
Mrs. Cogbill (his Mother) . 
Charity . . 



Mr. Arthur Soames 
Mr. Geo. W. Parte 
Miss Rose Edouin 
Miss Pearl Keats 



iGLD 17375 



2 



. COME MICHAELMAS. 



Scene — The parlour of Niitlaiids Farm. Door c. 
leading to garden. Bay wi?idow r. c. Door to 
house R. Cupboard doors down l. and dow?i r. 
Old oak pane I II Jig. Dustpan on Jtoor doivn l. 
Floivers in window and on table. Usual Fur- 
niture. Bright sunlight outside wijidow. Gardeji 
back-cloth and ineadows beyond. 

Time — noon. Period — modern. 

John Cogbill, a big, broad-shouldered young yeoitian- 
farmer, is discovered bindi?iga whip. Enter by door 
R. Mrs. Cogbill, his mother. She has white hair^ 
smoothly brushed back. She wears a clean print 
dress and an apron. She is peeling a potato. 

. Mrs C. John, my boy, there's somebody comin' 
across the home-paddock as you've got something to 
say to. 

John, {still binding whip) Who's that, then ? 

Mrs. C. Charity. 

John. Oh. 

Mrs C. {advancing to hiiii) God bless you, my 
boy. 

John. Thanks, mother. 

Mrs. C. I should go straight to the point if I was 
you. It isn't as though you were strangers to one 
another after keeping company for seven years. Is it, 
John ? 

3 



4 COME MICHAELMAS. 

John. No, mother. 

Mrs. C. Just tell 'er plump out that me an' the old 
man are giving up the farm come Michaelmas, and 
going to live in the Yew Barn House. Then catch 
hold of her 'and, pretty-like, and ask her if she'll come 
and be the new mistress of Nutlands Farm. See ? 

John. Yes, mother. 

Mrs C. It '11 all be over in a couple of minutes, 
won't it ? 

John. Yes, mother. 

Mrs. C. Well, put a bit more cheerful face on it, 
then, my boy. You love 'er, don't you .'* 

John. Oh, yes, mother. 

Mrs. C. Better than anybody else in the world ? 

John. Yes, mother — except you. 

Mrs. C. inlaying her cheek against his sleeve) Oh, 
go on with you, yer great silly you ! There was never 
a mother yet who could hold her own against a sweet- 
heart, and never ought to be. I know well enough 
that you've loved Charity this seven year, and she 
loves you just the same, {looking itp) Doesn't she ? 

John. Yes, mother, I think she does. 

Mrs. C. Think she does ? You know very well 
she does, and we all know it. And a dear, sweet 
wife she'll make for yer, bless 'er ! Well, I'll get out 
o' the ror.d. I shall give yer ten minutes ter get 
through with it, John, and then I shall come back ter 
kiss yer both and lay the dinner. Good luck, my 
boy! {she draws his face down and kisses him. Just as 
she is going off TL..) John calls after her) 

John. Mother ! 

Mrs. C. (turning) Yes, John ? 

John. I suppose you wouldn't think it better to — 
to put it off for a bit ? 

Mrs C. {returjiing) Put it off? Bless the boy, 
where's the sense in that ? You've got the farm — you 
must have a wife — here's the very girl — you've been 
courting her for more than seven year ! Goodness 
knows how many pieces of apple-rind I've seen yer 
twizzle round yer head and drop over yer left shoulder, 



COME MICHAELMAS. 5 

and they all make the letter " C ". No, my lad. there's 
no sense in putting it off. Besides, it isn't fair to 
Charity to keep her waiting any longer. You're not 
afraid, are yer ? 

John. Oh, no, mother, not a bit. 

Mrs. C. Very well, then. Just put the question 
the way I told you, and before you know where you 
are you'll be as good as married, {/ooks through zviji- 
dow). Here she is ! I'm off! 

{Exit quicJily R.) 

John, very 7iervoiis, straighte7is his tie and smoothes his 
hair. He is holding the ivhip all the time. Charity 
is see?z passing the window. She is a fair, pretty 
girl i7i a white dress and sim-bon7iet. She taps at 
the door. John goes to open door — the7i stops, 
hesitating. Charity knocks again. 

John, {in a very weak voice) Come in. 

CuAKiTY does not hear and knocks a thi?'d time. Mrs. 
CoGBiLL thrusts her head ifi at door r. 

Mrs. C. Open the door to 'er, you great zany ! 
{Exit Mrs. C.) 

John goes to door and opens it. Ther-e is a porch out- 
side the door. Old Mr. Cogbill is sitting in the 
porch., his ha?id resting on his stick. As John opens 
the door., old Mr. Cogbill is looking up into 
Charity's y<7^"^ a?id saying, ^^ Ay, there's noos right 
enough ; there's noos right e?iough.''^ Then he tur7is 
away a7id stares out across the meadows. Pie re- 
mains there whe7i the door is shitt and throughout 
the play. 

John. Oh, good morning. Charity. 

Charity. Good morning, John, {she is cariyi7ig a 
basket) I promised your mother some of our Victoria 
plums. We've more than we know what to do with 
this year, {she comes i7i and John closes the door) 

John {moving towards door r.) I'll fetch her, shall 
I? 



e COME MICHAELMAS. 

Charity. Ob, no, don't bother her now. I daresay 
she's busy with the dinner. I'll just leave them. 

John. Oh, thank you. She'll be very pleased, {a 
pause) Won't you — won't you sit down a moment ? 

OiARiTY. Well, it must only be for a moment. 
(siis) What are you doing with that great whip? 

John. Just binding the handle a bit. 

Charity. How did you break it ? Not across poor 
Nancy's back, I hope ? 

John. No. I caught it in the wheel of the gig. 

Charity. You never really use it to whip Nancy 
with, do you ? 

John. I give her a touch up, now and again. 

Charity. What a shame ! What brutes men are! 

John {bindmg the whip) What would you do, then, 
Charity, if you had to catch a train and she wouldn't 
get along fast enough ? 

Charity. Why, coax her, of course. {he roars 
with laugliter) I don't think it's very polite of you to 
laugh at me. 

John {t^cj-y repe?ita?if) I wasn't laughing at you, 
Charity. I was laughing to think of Nancy hurrying 
her stumps because somebody spoke pretty to her. 
(she has her back to him) You're not cross, are you? 

Charity. I can't talk to you when you're right up 
there. 

John. Oh, I see. (he gets a chair and sits near to 
her) There : is that better ? 

Charity. Show me how you do that binding. It 
looks rather fascinating. 

John. Oh, you just twist it round and round, you 
know. 

Charity. I don't know. I want you to show me. 

John. Like this. {Jie binds) 

Charity. I should like to try. May I? 

John. Of course, {he rises, and hands her the 
whip) 

Charity. But you must hold it for me. Bring 
your chair across. 



COME MICHAELMAS. 7 

(He gets his chair and sits dose to her. Their heads afe 
bent over the ichip, and their backs are to the wi7i- 
dow. Mrs. Cogbill appears outside the tvi7idow. 
She watches them for a few viOnients ; then beams 
ivith pleasure^ and wafts them some silent kisses. 
After a little while she goes away.) 

John. Mind and not let it slip. Put your hand 
here. See ? 

Charity. Where ? 

John. Just here, (he takes her hand a7id places it 
on the whip) That's right. 

Charity. Exactly right ? 

John. Near enough. 

Charity. But I want it to be exactly right. 

John. Well, then, (he moves her hand a little) there, 
then. 

Charity. Now show me what to do with the string. 

John. It'll make your hands sticky. 

Charity. I don't mind that. 

John. But I do. 

Charity. Whose hands are they, pray — mine or 
yours ? {she is binding the whip) 

(John, bracing himself for an effort^ does not a?is7ver.) 

Charity, (looking up) That's a simple question 
Can't you answer it? 

John. They're — they're yours. 

Charity, (binding viciously) There you are, then. 
(she gives the whip a sudden twitch and the lash goes 
near his face). Oh, I'm so sorry. Did I hit you ? 

John. No. 

Charity. I'm so glad, (a pause) Besides, it isn't 
as though I had nice, white, delicate little hands, like 
some girls. 

John. But you have. 

Charity. You mustn't flatter me. (sJie takes one 
hand off the whip) Look at that great coarse thing! 
Why, it's almost as big as yours ! 

John (laughing) Not it ! It isn't half the size I 



8 COME MICHAELMAS. 

Charity. I'm sure it is. 

John. I'll bet you it isn't then. 

Charity. I don't see how we're to decide. 

John {Jiolding out his ha?id, very flat). That's easy 
enough. We can measure. 

Charity. Promise you won't squeeze my hand and 
hurt it ? 

John. Of course I won't. 

Charity. Promise faithfully ? 

John. Faithfully. 

Charity. Oh, well, I don't think we'll measure, 
after all. I want to get on with the whip. It's nearly 
done, isn't it ? 

John. Yes. It only needs finishing off. 

Charity. How do you finish it off ? 

John. Just tuck the end in with a brad-awl. 

Charity. Have you got one in your pocket ? 

John. No. I shall have to fetch one from the 
barn. 

Charity. If you asked me very nicely, I might 
come with you. 

John. Oh, no, you mustn't do that. You'd dirty 
your dress climbing the ladder. 

Charity. It's dirty already. Still, of course, if you 
think I'd better not 

John. You stay and talk to mother. I shan't be 
long. You won't go before I come back, will you? 

Charity. I don't know. I might. 

John. I'll run. 

{^He takes the whip and runs out by door c, which he 
leaves open. Old Mr. Cog bill does not turn. 
E?iter Mrs. Cogbill by door R. She is smiling, 
and looking ve?y arch and knowing. She comes 
dow?i to Charity holding out both hands.) 

Mrs. C. What, Charity, my dear, all alone ? {kisses 
her) 

Charity. John's just left me. I've been helping 
him to bind his whip. 

Mrs. C. That's right. And where's John off to in 



COME MICHAELMAS. 9 

Such a hurry ? I thought I caught a glimpse of him 
running across the yard as if the devil was after him. 

Charity. He's gone to get a brad-awl or something 
to finish off the whip with. 

Mrs. C. {anxiously) You haven't quarrelled, have 
you ? 

Charity. Good gracious, no ! Why should we 
quarrel, Mrs. Cogbill ? 

Mrs. C. I don't know why you should, I'm sure. 
(te?iderly) And I hope you never will, dearie. 

Charity. I hope so, too. 

Mrs. C. John's a dear, good-tempered fellow, but 
the best of men are apt to be a little irritable at times, 
especially if their fo«^d isn't quite to their liking. You 
can't be too careful about what you give 'em to eat, 
Charity. 

Charity. I'm sure nobody ever need complain on 
that score in this house, Mrs. Cogbill. You're such a 
wonderful cook ? 

Mrs. C. Well, I can't pretend that my 'and's as 
light as it was, but I must admit that makin' tea-cakes, 
an' pastry, and puddings seems to come natural to me, 
just as it did to my poor mother. Not but what you've 
a nice light hand with a plain cake yourself. Charity. 
John's very fond of your cakes. 

Charity. Is he ? 

Mrs. C. Yes, that he is. By the way, you must 
remind me to give you my recipe for Farmhouse Pud- 
ding. There was a time when I used to say that I 
wouldn't never give it to nobody, and goodness knows 
the number that 'ave tried ter get it out of me ! But 
things change as you get on in years, and you don't 
set so much store by things that used ter seem mighty 
important once upon a time. Yes, yes ! I must give 
yer the recipe for Farmhouse Pudding. 

Charity. I shall be very glad to have it, I'm sure. 

Mrs. C. {going to cupboard r. and opening it) I 
shall miss the cupboards in the Yew Barn House, but 
then, yer see, we shan't wnnt so much storing space as 
all that, just me and daddy. 



10 COME MICHAELMAS. 

(Charity sifs sile?it, not knowing 7vhat to say and 
scara'/y ivhei-e to look) 

Mrs. C. {tontinuing) Of course, it'll take yer a 
fairish time ter get used to the ways of things, and 
know just where to put yer 'and on the gooseberry jam 
in the dark, and where on the cabbage pickles. 
{crosses to cupboard l.) And then there's yer bacon to 
be salted, and yer pork-pies to be made, and yer 
cowslip wine and all that, not to mention the dairy 
work, and the pigs, and the poultry, (closes door of 
cupboard and approaches Charity) But I shan't be 
far away, yer see, and anything as I can tell yer — 
(she stu7nbles over dustpan^ stoops, picks it up, and crosses 
to door R.) Annie I Where's that girl ? Annie 1 
{opem?ig door r., handing dustpan through) Don't 
leave the dustpan lying about the parlor-floor that way, 
or anyone might trip over it and catch their head a fine 
old crack ! Put it in the cupboard, my girl, and then 
catch up that tear in the bottom of yei^ skirt, or maybe 
you'll be takin' a dive into a pan o'milk. {she returns 
to Charity and sits) Let me see, was I sayin' 
anything ? These girls keep one on the go so ! Oh, 
yes, I know. I shan't be far away, and I daresay you'll 
find it convenient now and again to pop across and 

Charity. But — but you mustn't talk of leaving 
Nutlands for a long time yet. 

Mrs. C. {sta7'ing at her in amazement) Eh ? 

Charity, {very efnbarrassed) 1 say, you mustn't 
talk of leaving Nutlands for a long time yet, Mrs. 
Cogbill. 

Mrs. C. {still staring ) D'you mean to say as John 
ain't told yer? 

Charity. Told me? I don't understand. He 
hasn't told me anything in particular. 

Mrs. C. {jumping up) The great zany! D'you 
mean to say as he hasn't told yer that me and the old 
man 'ave decided to give up the farm come Michael-, 
mas ? 

Charity. He hasn't said a word about it, Mrs, 



Come Michaelmas. U 

Cogbill. But, then, {vcjy demurely) why should he ? 

Mrs. C. (^givhig her a sly dig in the ribs) Oh, go 
along with yer. Miss Coy ! You know well enough, 
and so does everybody in Littleworth, for that matter, 
as John's only bin waiting for nie and the old man to 
give up the farm to ask you to marry him. 

Charity, {confused — turning away) Oh ! 

Mrs. C. Still, it's natural as you shouldn't let on as 
you knows about it until he pops the question. That's 
how I used to be myself, and most of the gals in my 
day, but they seem to have altered a fairish bit lately 
according to what I read in the papers. Not you, 
thouL;h, Charity. You wouldn't go pullin' the Prime 
Minister's nose ! You're one of the oldfashioned sort, 
and all the better for it, to my way of thinking. You'll 
make a rare and good wife for our lad, and both on us 
knows it. Come ! Give me a kiss, my dear ? {ihey 
kiss) There ! Now we'll go and look for 'im, and get 
this settled right away. 

(^She takes Charity by the arm, and tries to lead her 
towards door c.) 

Charity, {hanging back and eagerly protesting) Oh, 
no, Mrs. Cogbill, I couldn't do that ! Please don't ask 
me to 1 I'd much rather not, really, really ! 

Mrs. C. But what's the matter, my dear ? It'll all 
be over before you can say " Knife." 

Charity. Oh, but whatever would he think of me, 
running after him and routing him out in that way ? 

Mrs. C. Think of you .? I'll pretty soon let him 
know what /think of hifu I 

Charity. No, no ! {she wriggles free) Far better 
wait a while, and let him take his own time about — 
abo-ut making a formal proposal — that is to say, if he 
wants to. 

Mrs. C. Go on with you ! You know very well he 
wants to. 

Charity. Well, at any rate, there's no hurry, you 
see; no hurry at all. 

Mrs. C. Oh, of course, you're young enough, and 



12 COME MICHAI^LMAS. 

so's John for that matter, but when people have bin 
courting seven years — 

Charity {crossing to elude Mrs. Cogbill) Isn't 
that all the more reason why we shouldn't spoil every- 
thing at the last by being too impetuous ? 

Mrs. C. Not much fear of that, {creeping up be- 
hind Charity) The way you two carry on, anyone 
might think as you expected to live to be as old as 
Methuselah ! Now, {seizi?ig her arm again) you just 
step across the yard with me — 

Charity, {still hanging back) Oh, but please lis- 
ten 1 John may have clianged his mind, Mrs. Cogbill. 
Men do such things, often and often. He may have 
met somebody he likes better than me — some very 
pretty, very smart girl, much more attractive in every 
way than me I 

Mrs. C. {Jirmly) Stuff and rubbish 1 {kiting her 
go) I never heard such nonsense! John's a gentle- 
man, I hope, for all that his father made his own way 
in the world ! 

Charity. (/// to Mrs. Cogbill.) Oh, I didn't 
mean — 

Mrs. C. I know that, my dear. But that you 
should get such a notion into your head I John's not 
the man to have his brain turned by any little minx 
with a dolly face and a pair of baby eyes. He knows 
well enough that you're the Avife for him — the wife to 
cherish a man, and mend his clothes, and see that his 
food's well cooked, and take care of the pence, and 
keep the place in order, and sit with him before the 
fire of a winter's evening, and nurse him when he's 
sick, and, maybe, if God sees fit, give him some dear 
little children to scramble about his knees and protect 
him lovingly when he's too old to work for himself. 
(Charity has turned away. Mrs. Cogbill comes up 
behind her and puts an a?'m about her shoulders) 
Change his mind ? Not John, dearie ! All he wants 
is a little help, a little encouragement, see ? 

Charity. Oh, but I — 



COME MICHAELMAS. 13 

{Re-enter John Cogbill, the ivhip in o?ie hand and the 
brad-azvl in the other.) 

Mrs. C. Ah, here he is, just in the nick of time ! 
Charity. Good-bye, Mrs. Cogbill. I'm afraid I 
must go now. 

i^She slips round M.K?,. Cogbill toivards door.) 

Mrs. C. (^running after her and bringing her back' 
Wait a bit, my dear. I won't keep yer above a couple 
of minutes. 

Charity. But, really, I must get home at once ! I 
shall be late for dinner as it is ! 

Mrs. Cogbill. Well, two minutes more won't make 
such a deal of difference, {she leads Charity dow7i c. 
They meet ^on^ Cogbill). John, I've been showing 
Charity the cupboards, and telling her a few of the 
things as keeps a woman busy about a farm. 

(During the following dialogue, Charity is always try- 
ing., without using force, to free herself, but Mrs. 
Cogbill will not let go of her arm.) 

John, {busy with whip) Ah ? 

Mrs. C. Yes, that's what I've bin doing since you 
went out ; haven't I, Charity ? 

Charity, {trying to speak ordinarily') Your mother 
must be a wonderful manager. 

Mrs. C. {quickly) And so '11 you be, one of these 
near days. What d'yer think, John ? 

John. Ah, I should think so. 

Mrs. C. I've told her something else as well, John. 

John. Oh, indeed ? 

Mrs. C. Yes. I've told her as mc and'the old man 
are giving up the farm come Michaelmas. 

John. Ah ? 

Charity. I'm sure the two minutes are up, Mrs. 
Cogbill. I don't want to seem rude. 

Mrs. C. Well, you will. {she tightens her grip) 
I thought p'r'aps you'd have told 'er yourself, John^ 
but it seems as you didn't. 

John. I had meant to, but — {he pauses) 



l-t COME MICHAELMAS. 

Mrs. C. Well ? But what ? 

John. It slipped my memory for the moment. 

(Mrs. Cogbill laughs. John looks at her sharply — 
then at Charity. He goes on working at the 
whip.) 

Mrs. C. That's a nice thing to say, upon my word. 
But maybe you was thinking of something more im- 
portant, eh, John ? 

John. No, I can't call to mind that I was. 

Charity {fo Mrs. Cogbill) Father will be so cross 1 
You know how he hates to be kept waiting ! 

Mrs. C. Do him good for once, {to Jopin) 
P'r'aps you was thinking of what this change would 
mean to you and — (Charity struggles) — and some- 
body else ? Eh ? Was that it ? 

John, {without raising hss eyes) Maybe I was. 

Mrs. C. Well, then, my boy, don't keep a lady 
waiting ! 

{At this Charity gives a little cry, ajid, 7vrenching her- 
self free at last, begins to move away. But Mrs. 
Cogbill is too quick /or her, and catches her by the 
skirt. 

Mrs. C. Don't you be a fool, my dear, (she catches 
John by the coat-tail) And don't you be a fool, John, 
neither. Here be three people, with all of 'em the 
same thought in their minds, and all afraid to speak it 
out. John's the one as ought to speak by rights, but 
it appears to me that if we left it to him, you two 
might both live to be a hundred and never be any 
nearer bein' man and wife ! 

Charity {tur?iing away and mur?nuring) Oh, 
please 1 

Mrs C. Well, that's true. Now, John, {tzuitchifig 
violently at his coat-tail) I've give yer an opening. 
'Avent yer got nothing to say to Charity now ? 

John, {bravely) Yes. 

Mrs. C. Ah ! ^That's bfctter ! 

Charity. No, no ! I — 



COME MICHAELMAS. 15 

INIrs. C. Shut up, yer little ninny ! Come on, 
John. 

John {after ckaring his throat) If she — if she cares 
to hear it now. 

Charity. No, no 1 Some other time! I can't stay 
now ! I — 

Mrs. C. {clinging to her arm) There's no time 
like the present. I'd go away and leave yer to get 
through it by yerselves, only I know well enough as 
you'd begin in talking about the weather, or something 
o' that. So come along, my lad. You'll have enough 
to say after you've taken the first plunge, I'll warrant. 

John clears his throat a second time. Then he looks at 
the 7vhip iji one hand and the b?-ad-awl in the other. 
He slips the brad-awl into his pocket. Still the ivhip 
is in the way. He makes as though to tlwow it 
down but chafiges his mind.) 

Mrs. C. {observiag his dile??mia) Here, give me 

the whip, my lad. 

(John gladly hands it over. Then he takes a Jinn stand, 
clears his throat a third time, a?id looks tifnidly at 
Charity. She has her back almost to him) 

John. (/;/ a colloquial tone) Charity 1 
(Charity does not reply'). 

Mrs. C. {eficouragingly) Good lad ! That's the 
style. Good lad 1 

John (/;/ the same tone as before) Charity ! May I 
— may I ask you a question ? 

(Charity is still silent.) 

Mrs. C. Of course you may I Bless my soul, she's 
not the Princess of Wales. 

John. I just wanted to know whether you — whether 
you {lie stops) 

Mrs. C. Well ? Whether she what ? 

John. Whether she — cared for me at all ? 

Mrs. C. It's no use asking me, my boy. She's 
here, you know, and she's not deaf. 



16 COME MICHAELMAS. 

John. Do you, Charity ? 

Charity. You know I'm very {^she stops) 

Mrs. C. {kitidly) Speak up, dearie. 

Charity. I was going to say, he knows I'm very 
fond of him. 

Mrs. C. {triumphant) There you are ! She's 
very fond of you. 

Charity. Oh, but whatever's the time ? 

Mrs. C. Half-past kissing time, and time to — time 
for John to come to the point. 

John. Do you ? {lie hesitates) 

Mrs. C. Try ' will you.' 

John. Would you 

Mrs. C. Not ' would you ' — * will you.' 

John. Will you — that is to say, would you 

Mrs. C. {exasperated) Oh, bless the boy! We 
shall be here all night! 

John. Would you care to ? 

(Mrs. Cogbill shakes her head at him) 

John. Eh ? 

Mrs. C. All right. Put it in your own way. 

John. Would you care to — marry me at all ? 

(Charity does not answer.) 

Mrs. C. There you are ! Pitch it in a bit stronger I 
{she is speaking into his ear) You don't suppose any 
gal worth having would bite at a bit of a bait like that, 
do yer ? 

(Charity makes aiiother attempt to escape. Mrs. Cog- 
bill frustrates it.) 

John. I think you know that I — that I love you 
Anyway, I want you to know it. And I want you to 
be my wife. 

{A pause. Charity does not turn. Mrs. Cogbill 
realising that she is 710 longer wanted, looks up into 
John's face fondly, and squeezes his arfn. Then 
she kisses Charity. Finally, she goes up stage^ 
joins old Mr. Cogbill /;/ the po?rh, and tells him the 



COME MICHAEOIAS. 17 

ftetas. John, 7U2th izvo great strides, is up to 
Charity. He puts his ar77i about her shoulders.^ 

Charity {looking up at him) Is it true ? 

(T-Irs. Cogbill stands in the open doorway, looking at 
them. Old Mr. Cogbill jises, and stands behijidJier, 
his arm about her waist and his handover hers. He, 
too, is watching the young couple. John replies to 
Charity's question with a nod. She buries her face 
against his chest. He looks at audience and gives a 
great sigh of relief^ 

THE curtain falls. 

(^At second curtain, John's y^?r^ is buried in the hood of 
Charity's sun-bo?inet.) 



irOPy nv^ TO CAT otv, 

NOV 27 1303 



SEND FOR A NEW DESCRIPTIVE CATALOaUE. 



VOL. XLI 

The Pirate's Legacy 
The Char.oal Burner 
Adelgitha 
Seiiur Valient* 
Forest Rose 
Duke's Daughter 
Camilla's Husband 
Pure Gold 

VOL. XLIL 
Ticket of Leave Man 
Fool's Revenge 
O'lNeil the Great 
Handy Andy 
Pirate of the Ules 
Faiichon 
Little Barefoot 
Wild Irish Girl 

VOL. XLIIL 
Pearl of Savoy 
Dead Heart 

Ten Nights in a Bar-room 
Dumb Boy of Manchester 
Belphegor the Mounteb'k 
Cricket on the Hearth 
Printer's Devil 
Meg's Diversion 



{Frenches Standard Drama Continued from 2d page of Cover.) 



VOL. XLIV. 
.345 Drunkard's Doom 
346 Chiinnev Corner 
J47 Fifteen Years »f a Drunk 
848 No Thoroughfare I ard's 
;;49 Peep O' Day I Life 

350 Everybody's Friend 
361 Gen. Grant 
'i&-2 Kathleen Mavourneen 

VOL. XLV. 

353 Nick Whiffles 

354 Fruits of the Wine Cup 
35o Drunkard's Warning 

356 Temperance Doctor 

357 Aunt Dinah 

358 Widow Freeheart 

359 Frou Frou 

360 Long Strike 

VOL, XLVr, 

361 Larcers 
36i Lu' ille 

363 Randall's Thumb 

364 Wicked W^orld 

365 Two Orphans 

366 Colleen Bawn 

367 'Twixt Axe and Crown 

368 Lady Claacarthy 



VOL. XLVIi. 

369 Saratoga 

370 Never T.io Late to Mend 

371 Lily of P'raiica 
37'2 Led Astray 

373 Henry V 

374 Unequal Match 

.75 M.ay or Dolly's Delusion 

376 Allatoona 

VOL. XLVHL 

377 Enoch Arden 

:;',S Under the Gas Light 
379 Daniel Rochat 
38u Caste 

351 School 

352 Home 

i David Garrick 

384 Ours 

VOL. XLIX. 

385 Social Glass 
886 Daniel Druce 

Two Roses • 
Adrienne 

389 The Bells 

390 Uncle 
.391 Courtship 
"" Not Such a Fool 



VOL. L, 

393 Fine Feathers 

394 Prompter's Box 

395 Iron Master 

396 Engaged 

97 Pygmalion & Galatea 
.i»d Leah 

399 Scrap of Paper 

400 Lost in Londoa 

VOL. LI. 

401 Octoroon 

402 Confederate Spy 

403 !*.^ariner's Return 

404 Ruined by Drink 

405 Dreams 

406 M. P. 

407 War 

408 Birth 
VOL. LII. 

409 Nightingale 

410 Progress 

411 Plav 

412 Midnight Charge 

413 Confidential Clerk 

414 Snowball 

415 Our Regimeuv 

16 Married for Money 
Hamlet in Three Acts 
Guttle & Gulpit 



FRENCH'S INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHTED EDITION 
OF '^HE WORKS OF THE BEST AUTHORS. 

The following very successful plays have just been issued at 25 cents per copy. 



A PAIR OF SPECTACLE'S. Comedy ^ 3 Acts 
by SYDNhy Grundv, author of "Sowing the Wind," 
&c. 8 male, 3 female characters. 

A POOL'S PARADISE. An oriplnal play In 3 
Acts by Sydnky Gruniy, author of '"Sowing the 
Wind," Ac. 5 male, 4 female characters. 

THE SILVER SHIELD. An original comedy In 
3 Acts by Sydnky Grundy, author of "Sowing the 
Wind," dec. 5 male, 8 female skaracters. 

THE GLASS OF FASHION", An original com- 
edy in 4 Acts by Syi ^^Y "Grundy, author of " Sowing 
the Wind," dec. 6 male. 5 female charactert. 



THE BALLOON. Farcical comedy in S Acts by J. 

H. Darn ley and Manville Fbnn. 6 male, 4 female 

characters. 
MISS CLEOPATRA. Farce in 3 Acts by Aethub 

Shirley. 7 male, 3 female characters. 
SIX PERSONS. Comedy Act by L Zanswill. 

1 male, 1 female character. 
FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. Comedi- 

etta in 1 Act by Percy Fendall. 1 mala, 1 femal* 

character. 
HIGTTLAND LEGACY. Comedy in 1 Act by 

Brandon Thomas, author of "Charley's Aunt." 

5 male, 2 female characters. 



Contents of Catalogue which is sent Free. 



Amateur Drama 

Amateur Operas 

Articles Needed by Amateorf 

Art of Scpne Painting 

Baker's Reading Club 

Beards, Whiskers, Mustaches, etc. 

Bound Sets of Plays 

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Burlesque" Dramas 

Burnt Cork 

Cabman's Stoty 

Carnival of Author! 

Charade Plavs 

Children's Plays 

Comic Dramas for Male Characters 

only 
Costume Books 
Crape Hair 
Cumberland Edition 
Darkey Dramas 
Dramas for Boys 
Drawing-room "MonoTogrues 
Elocution, Reciters and Speakers 
Ethiopian Dramas 



Evening's Entertainment 

Fairy and Home Plays 

French's Costumes 

French's Editions 

French's Italian Operas 

French's Parlor Comedies 

French's Standard and Minor Drama 

French's Standard and Minor Drama, 

bound 
French's Scenes for Amateurs 
Frobisher's Popular Recitals 
Grand Army Dramas 
rsuide Books for Amnteura 
Guide to Selecting Playa 
Hints on Costumes 
Home Plays for Ladle* 
Irish Plays 
Irving's Plays 
Juvenile Plays 
Make-Up Book 
Make-Up Box 
Mock Trial 

Mrs. Jarley's Wax Workb 
New PUys i 



New Recitation Books 

Nigjer Jokes and Stump Speeohw 

Parlor Magic 

Parlor Pantomimes 

Pieces of Pleasantry 

Poems for Recitntions 

Plays for Male Characters only 

Round Games 

Scenery 

Scriptural and Historical Dramas 

Sensation Dramas 

Se'io-Comic Dramas 

Shadow Pantomimes 

Shakespeare's Plays for Amateurs 

Shakespeare's Plays 

Stanley's Dwarfs 

Spirit Gum 

Tableaux Vivants 

Talma Actor's Art 

Temperance Plays 

Vocal Music of >hakespeare'8 Plays 

Webster's Acting Edition 

Wigb, etc 



{Frenches Minor Drama Continued from 4th p^ge of Cover.) 



VOL. XLT. 

Adventures of a Love 
! ost Child [Letter 

! Court Cards 
1 Cox and Box 
I I'ortv Winks 
, Wonderful M'oman 

C urious Case 
; Tweedleton's Tail Coat 



VOL. XLTI. 

329 As Like as Two Peas 

330 Presumptive Evidence 
.331 Happy Band 

.332 Pinafore 

333 Mock Trial 

334 Mv Uncle's Will 
.335 Hapnv "a'r 

330 My Turn Next 



VOL. XLHL 

337 Sunset 

338 For Half a Million 
3.39 C ble Car 

.340 Earlv Bird 
341 Alumni I 'lay 
34-.' Show of Hands 
■•,43 Harbrir". 
.;44 Who's Who 



VOL. XLTV. 
.346 Who's To Win Him 

346 Whiih is Which 

347 Cup of Tea 

318 Sarah's Young Man 

349 Hearts 

350 In Honor Bound [Law 

351 Freezing a Mother-in 

352 My Lord in Livery 



SAMUEL FRENCH, 26 West 22d St., New York City. 



Ji 



{^p°- Nenf and Explicit Descriptive Catalogue Mailed i^ree on Request. 



FRENCH'S STANDARD DRAMA. 

Price 15 Cents each.— Bound Volumes $1.25. 



VOL. I. 

1 Ion 

2 Fazio 

3 The Lady of Lyons 

4 Richelieu 

5 The Wife 

6 The Honeymoon 

7 The School lor Scandal 

8 Money 

VOL. II. 

9 The Stranger 

10 Grandfather Whitehead 

11 Richard III 

12 Love's Sacrifice 

13 The Gamester 

14 A Cure for the Heartache 

15 The Hunchback 

16 Don Caesar de Bazan 

VOL. HI. 

17 The Poor Gentleman 

18 Hamlet 

19 Charles II 

20 Venice Preserved 

21 Pizarro 

22 Tlie Love Chase 

23 Othello 

24 Lend me Five Shillings 

VOL. IV. 

25 Virginius 

26 King of the Commons 

27 London Assurance 

28 The Rent Day 

29 Two Gentlemen of Verona 

30 The Jealous Wife 

31 The Rivals 

32 Perfection 

VOL. V. [Debts 

33 A New Way to Pay Old 

34 Look Before You Leap 



35 Ki 



Johr 



W. 



86 Nervous Man 

37 Damon and Pythias 

88 Clandestine Marriage 

39 William Tell 

40 Day after the Wedding 

VOL. VI. 

41 Speed the Plougli 
•42 Romeo and Juliet 

43 Feudal Times 

44 Charles the Twelfth 

45 The Bride 

46 The Follies of a Night 

47 Iron Chest [Fair Lady 

48 Faint Heart Nev- "•- 

VOL. VIL 

49 Road to Ruin 
60 Macbeth 

51 Temper 

52 Evadne 

53 Bertram 

54 The Duenna 

55 Much Ado About Nothing 

66 The Critic 

VOL. VIIL 

67 The Apostate 

68 Twelfth Night 

69 Brutus 

60 Simpson & Co 

61 Merchant of Venice 

62 Old Headset Young Hearts 

63 Mountaineers [riage 

64 Three Weeks after Mar 

VOL. IX. 

65 Love 

66 As You Like It 

67 The Elder Brother 

68 Werner 

69 Gisippus 

70 Town and Country 

71 King Lear 

72 Blue Devils 

VOL. X. 

73 Henry VIII 

74 Married and Single 

75 Henry IV 

76 Paul Pry 

77 Guy Mannering 

78 Sweethearts and Wives 

79 Serious Family 

80 Sbe Stoops to Conquer 



VOL. XL 

81 Julius Caesar 

82 Vicar of Wakefield 
Leap Year 

The Catspaw 
85 The Passing Cloud 

Drunkard 
87 Rob Roy 

George Barnwell 
VOL. XII. 
89 Ingomar 
'" Sketches In India 
91 Two Friends 
9.; Jane Shore 

93 Corsican Brothers 

94 Mind your own Business 

95 Writing on the Wall • 

96 Heir at Law 

VOL. XIIL 

97 Soldier's Daughter 
9^ Douglas 

99 Marco Spada 

100 Nature's Nobleman 

101 Sardanapalus 

102 Civilization 

103 The Robbers 

104 Katharine and Petruchio 
VOL. XIV. 

105 Game of Love 

106 Midsummer Night's 

107 Ernestine [Dream 

108 Rag Picker of Paris 

109 Flying Dutchman 

110 Hypocrite 
11 Therese 

112 La Tour de Nesle 
VOL. XV. 

13 Ireland As It Is 

14 Sea of Ice 

115 Seven Clerks 

116 Game ot Life 
7 Forty Thieves 

118 Bryan Boroihrae 

119 Romance and Reality 

120 Ugolino 
VOL. XVL 

121 The Tempest 

122 The Pilot 

123 Carpenter of Rouen 
1.'4 King's Rival 

1 25 Little Treasure 

126 Dombey and Son 

2" Parents" and Guardians 
lis Jewess 

VOL. XVII. 
129 Camille 

Married Life 
131 Wenlock of Wenlock 

32 Rose of Ettrickvale 

33 David Copperfield 

134 Aline, or the Rose of 
5 Pauline [KiUarney 

136 Jane Eyre 
VOL. XVIII. 

137 Night and Morning 
""" iEthiop 

139 Three Guardsmen 

140 Tom Cringle 

141 Henriette, the Forsaken 
42 Eustache Baudin 

143 Ernest Maltravers 

144 Bold Dragoons 
VOL. XIX. 

145 Dred, or the Dismal 
[Swamp 

146 Last Days of Pompeii 

147 Esmeralda 

148 Peter WilUins 

149 Ben the Boatswain 

150 Jonathan Bradford 

151 Retribution 
162 Minerali 

VOL. XX. 

1 53 French Spy 

154 Wept of Wish-tcm Wish 

155 Evil Genius 

156 Ben Bolt 

157 Sailor of France 

158 Red Mask 

169 Life of an Actress 
160 Wedding Day 



VOL. XXI. 

161 All's Fair in Love 

162 Hofer 

163 Self 

164 Cinderella 

165 Phantom 
66 Franklin [Moscow 

167 The Gunmaker of 

168 The Love of a Prince 
VOL. XXII, 

169 Son of the Night 

170 Rory O'Moi'e 

171 Golden Eagle 
'72 Rienzi 

173 Broken Sword 

174 Rip Van Winkle 
•7oIsabelle 

176 Heart of Mid Lothian 
VOL. XXI IL 

177 Actress of Padua 
78 Floating Beacon 

179 Bride of Lammermoor 
80 Cataract of the Ganges 

181 Robber of the Rhine 

182 School of Reform 

183 Wandering Boys 

184 Mazeppa 
VOX. XXIV. 

185 Young New York 

186 The Victims 

187 Romance after Marriage 

188 Brigand 

189 Poor of New York 

190 Ambrose Gwinett 

191 Raymond and Agnes 

192 Gambler's Fate 
VOL. XXV. 

193 Father and Son 

194 Massaniello 

195 Sixteen String Jack, 

196 Youthful Queen 

197 Skeleton Witness 

198 Innkeeper of Abbeville 

199 Miller and his Men 

200 Aladdin 
VOL. XXVL 

201 Adrienne the Actress 

202 Undine 

203 Jesse Brown 

204 Asmodeus 

205 Mormons 

206 Blanche of Brandy wine 

207 Viola 

208 Deseret Deserted 
VOL. XXVII. 

209 Americans in Paris 

210 Victorine 

211 Wizard of the Wave 

212 Castle Spectre 

213 Horse-shoe Robinson 
21-.' Armand, Mrs. Mowatt 
2r. Fashion, Mrs. Mowatt 

216 Glance at New York 
VOL. XXVIIL 

217 Inconstant 

218 Uncle Tom's Cabin 
2W Guide to the Stage 

220 Veteran 

221 Miller of New Jersey 

222 Dark Hour before Dawn 

223 Midsum'rNight'sDream 
[Laura Keene's Edition 

224 Art and Artifice 
VOL. XXIX. 

225 Poor Young Man 

226 Ossawattomie Brown 

227 Pope of Rome 

228 Oliver Twist 

229 Pauvrette 

230 Man in the Iron Mask 

231 Knight of Arva 

232 Moll Pitcher 
VOL. XXX. 

233 Black Eyed Susan 
2;-!4 Satan in Paris 

235 Rosina Meadows [ess 

236 West End, or Irish Heir- 

237 Six Degrees of Crime 

238 The Lady and the Devil 

239 Avenger, or Moor of Sici- 

240 Masks and Faces [ly 



VOL. XXXI. 

241 Merry Wives of Windsor 

242 Mary's Birthday 

243 Shandy Maguire 

244 Wild Oats 

245 Michael Erie 

246 Idiot Witness 

247 Willow Copse 

248 People's Lawyer 
VOL. XXXII. 

249 The Boy Martyrs 

250 Lucretia Borgia 

251 Surgeon of Paris 

252 Patrician's Daughte* 

253 Shoemaker of Toulouse 

254 Momentous Question 

255 Love and Loyalty 

256 Robber's Wife 
VOL. XXXHL 

257 Dumb Girl of Genoa 

258 Wreck Ashore 

259 Clarl 

260 Rural Felicity . 

261 Wallace 
Madelaine 

263 The Fireman 

264 Grist to the Mill 
VOL. XXXIV. 

265 Two Loves and a Life 

266 Annie Blake 

267 Steward 

268 Captain Kyd 

269 Nick of the Woods 

270 Marble Heart 

271 Second Love 

272 Dream at Sea 
VOL. XXXV. 

273 Breach of Promise 

274 Review 

275 Lady of the Lake 

276 Still Water Runs Deep 

277 The Scholar 

278 Helping Hands 

279 Faust and Marguerite 

280 Last Man 
VOL. XXXVT. 

281 Belle's Stratagem 
2sy Old and Young 

283 Raflfaella 

284 Ruth Oakley 

285 British FArve 
2*6 A Life's Hansom 
287 Giralda 
283 Time Tries All 

VOL. XXXVIL 

289 Ella Rosenburg 

290 Warlock of the Glen 

291 Zelina 

292 Beatrice 

293 Neighbor Jackwood 

294 Wonder 

295 Robert Emmet 

296 Green Bushes 
VOL. XXXVIII. 

297 Flowers of the Forest 

298 A Bachelor of Arts 

299 The Midnight Banquet 
Husband ol in Hour 

301 Love's Labor Lost 

302 Naiad Queen 

303 Caprice 

304 Cradle of Liberty 
VOL. XXXIX. 

The Lost Sliip 
Country Squire 

307 Fraud and its Victims 

308 Putnam 

309 King and Deserter 
310LaF'.ammina . 

311 A Hard Struggle 

312 Gwinnette Vaughan 
VOL. XL. 

313 The Love Knot [Judge 

314 Lavater, or Not a Bad 

315 The Noble Heart 

316 Coriolanus 

317 The Winter's Tale 

318 Eveleen Wilson 

319 Ivanhoe ' 

320 Jonathan in England 



{French's Standard Drama Continued on ^dpage of Cover.) 



SAMUEL FRENCH, 26 West 23d Street, New York City. 

New and Explicit Descriptive Catalogue Mailed Free on Request. 



I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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